Technical info about AVG Antivirus

• Features
• System Requirements
• Free version

Features

Antivirus and Spyware

AVG Antivirus silently run in the background and check the files you download or use for viruses and spyware. If you try to open a file infected with a virus, AVG Antivirus will warn you and prevent the program from being started.

In the old days, AVG Antivirus was only looking for viruses that could damage your computer. However, today many more dangers lurk on the internet, thus the program now is also looking for spyware that can compromise your privacy by collecting information from your computer and send it to the producer of the spyware.

Spyware are often installed as a part of another program, typically a program that is free and instead is getting money from the producer of the spyware. It is normally not a danger for your computer, but it can be a potentially danger for your privacy. That is why AVG Antivirus has named that kind of programs Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP). In some cases you might want to stop the spying, but in other cases you might accept the spying in order to get the features of the program that contains the spyware.

When you start a potentially unwanted program, AVG Antivirus will warn you and you can then decide whether to run the program.

Rootkits

AVG Antivirus keeps rootkits off your computer. While spyware typically only collect information that can compromise your privacy then rootkits is a much bigger threat. Rootkits are programs that try to hide deep inside Windows' system files. From there they can do some very bad things like letting a stranger remote control your computer, or using a key logger to get to know the log in codes for your online bank and other sites where they can rob you for valuables.

LinkScanner and Phishing Filter

AVG Antivirus's LinkScanner is scanning links to other homepages and then warn you if the link leads to a homepage that is not safe. The LinkScanner also puts a mark with a safety rating next to links on search results from Google and other search engines.

The phishing filter will warn you if you visit a fake website that is trying to trick you to give information that can be used to access your online bank or other sites where they can steal your valuables.

Game Mode

Game mode will automatically disable pop up messages when you are playing games in full screen. That way you can play games without being interrupted. Of course, AVG Antivirus will still protect you while you are playing. It is only the messages that are being disabled.

System Requirements

Hardware:

Pentium 1.8 GHz or faster, 512 MB RAM, 470 MB available space on your hard drive. That means that AVG Antivirus should be able to run on any pc that is less than five years old.

Operating systems:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 in both 32-bit versions and 64-bit versions.

The LinkScanner is compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.

Download:

AVG Antivirus's installation file is 91 MB.

Languages:

AVG Antivirus has been translated to 21 different languages including English, Chinese, French, German, and Russian.

Free Version

You can download a free version of AVG Antivirus; however, the free version has some limitations:

The free version is only for non-commercial use. You cannot use it in businesses or institutions.

The definition files for the free version might not be updated as fast, since the free version uses an often overloaded server. Your computer might therefore be open for attacks while you are waiting for the updates.

The free version is not checking for the dangerous rootkits. It does not protect you against phishing, and it does not offer Game Mode.